G2 Triumph for Yulong's Sidestep Gelding Real Appeal at Leopardstown

Mark Smith - Saturday September 11

The Zhang Yuesheng owned Real Appeal (GER), a son of Telemon Thoroughbreds Sidestep, carried the Yulong silks to victory in Saturday's Group II Boomerang Mile at Leopardstown.

It completed a magical thirty minutes for rider Shane Foley and trainer Jessica Harrington who were still on a high after the Shalaa (IRE) filly No Speak Alexander caused a surprise in the Group 1 Matron Stakes (1m).

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In a driving finish, Real Appeal struck the front at the 200 metres before holding the fast-finishing Fev Rover (Gutaifan) by a half-length with Horoscope (No Nay Never) a neck back in third.

"I don't think my heart will stand much more, it's still pounding," Harrington told irishracing.com. 

Real Appeal

"To have two winners on Champions Day is absolutely amazing. We came here today saying we could have one of those nearly weekends, with everything running really well and not getting a winner.

"Now to have two winners is absolutely amazing. For No Speak Alexander to win a Group 1 is great.

"Shane came in and said Real Appeal is 10lb better here than any other racecourse. He's won three races here now and he does nothing but improve.

"It's the first time he's won over a mile and it's really worked out. He's a funny horse, when he gets to the front he pulls himself up."

Real Appeal advances his record to six wins, a second, and four thirds from 19 starts with earnings of €226,415.

The 4yo son of Sidestep won the Group III Ballycorus Stakes (7f) at Leopardstown in June and won the Listed Prix la Fleche at Maisons-Laffitte at two.

Bred in Germany by Gestut Kussaburg, Real Appeal was a £265,000 purchase by BBA Ireland/ Yulong Investments at the 2019 Goffs London Sale after he had won three of his first four starts.  

He is the best of two winners from the winning Green Desert mare Runaway Sparkle.

Real Appeal is one of three stakes-winners for the leading first season sire Sidestep, whose Golden Slipper winning daughter Kiamichi visited Lonhro last spring.

 A Champion 2YO by Exceed and Excel, Sidestep stands at Telemon Thoroughbreds for a fee of $11,000.

Sidestep is a Premium stallion, click for more information.

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